What Couldn't Be Foreseen
by Preserved Roses
Summary: Harry Potter won the Tri-Wizard Tournament at thirteen freeing Voldemort. At fourteen the blond boy is caught running away from home during the summer but he was caught mostly due to Sirius Black's escape from prison. In a Harry Potter universe where the boy who lived looks nothing like his deceased father many things remain unforeseen until they happen.
1. Chapter 1

**Part One**

Harry Potter's life was over! Not to be over dramatic but his days were not only numbered due to Voldemort's return or the escape of Sirius Black from prison. Right now, actually that was the least of his worries.

Flash backs ran through his mind of the last couple nightmarish dreams he had. His dreams were actually memories. It felt like he was reliving every uncalled for spanking every day of starvation, everyday he's spent locked in a cupboard under the stairs and every day of forced labor he'd lived through because of the Dursley family. His lips began to quiver uncontrollably.

 _I am doomed._

Harry thought to him self grimly. And his head began to throb painfully again.

He sat on his trunk which he's managed to pack and drag through the fat lady portrait entrance to Griffindor tower. The fat lady herself sat in a canary yellow dress sipping tea and began to eye ball the lone Griffindor worriedly. Harry just sat on the trunk possessing all of his livelihood huffing puffing and sighing. "You know dear, your a wizard you could have just levitated your chest as you walked." she stated in a slightly high pitched voice. Harry stared at her almost blankly for half a minute before fat tears began to roll down his cheeks. He had quite a shiner on his left cheek and his blue eyes seemed a lot more gray and colder than usual despite his teary burst of emotion.1 His face was deathly pale and the lightning bolt scar was a rather vivid red against his sickly complexion.

"'Arry?" He suddenly heard Ron calling him. The other boy turned the corner and Harry Potter quickly stood up, wiped his tears and made sure the serpentine bracelet [he couldn't get off his wrist] remained hidden. Draco Malfoy was the only one who took notice of it. His reaction to it made Harry certain that it was something best kept out of sight of his friends and enemies alike. Professor Snape slapped it on his wrist after cuffing him on his cheek-giving him the grotesque shiner that he-he being Harry-refused to get treated, as a kind of strike against his elders decision making skills on his behalf. "You look like shite!" The red head exclaimed before embracing his thin friend abruptly.

"'moine's behind me and your in for an ear full," Ron Weasely whispered in his friends ear.

He backed off and looked Harry and the trunk in the hall over.

"Harry James Potter, how-how dare you!" Heroine Granger almost whined,fists clenched tighly in frustration.

Harry hasn't actually attended classes today or yesterday at all. He let his friends know in the common room about his suspension from classes and Dumbledore's betrayal of him the night he returned from the head master's office.

"avoiding us, your friends does not change anything it just makes it harder to help you." Hermoine's eyes filled with compassion as she took her friend in.

"We tried to pa titian Dumbledore on your behalf," Ron added lamely. "We have some news for you,"

Harry smiled a sad smile, "It might have to wait-I'm waiting for Snape right now-"

"-And _Professor_ Snape is here," The potions master interrupted as he turned the corner scowling at his ward. "Sit on your trunk." The teacher ordered.

Harry gritted his teeth, and silently obeyed.

"Mr. Potter when I tell you to report to the infirmary or _anywhere_ for that matter you are to do so promptly." The professor removed a tiny jar from his robe sleeve and opened it, he tilted the boy's head upward silently demanding he be still. The man dabbed the bruised cheek gently covering the injury with ointment. The bruise literally began to visibly fade from the bluish purple of a fresher wound to a yellow of one that had over a week to heal to Hermoine's d elite.

"Administer every four hours until the container is empty. Than return the container to me." he instructed and continued to drone on forcing eye contact. "I will not be laying hands upon you again. Please understand that although we haven't always seen eye to eye on well, to be honest anything this isn't necessarily as bad of a decision as you may think it is on Dumbledore's part, right now."

He didn't mean that he wouldn't be administering medication to Harry again. If the boy didn't understand what context that was meant in Severus Snape decided that that was Harry's problem. There was too many taboo things that Harry wasn't preevy to as of yet. The teacher gave his hate filled ward a a look and saw the bit of hope that entered Harry's features be cast aside quickly.

"You however, will hold your tongue around me. There won't be very many surprises headed your way-everything will be explained and rules and boundaries will be set...for us both I'm sure."

Harry cocked his head at that, realizing that he just probably got the closest thing to an apology he'd get from Snape-ever. And it really didn't bring him any comfort at all. He wasn't going to spend his Christmas break with the Weasleys' as planned. He wasn't going to be forced to stay in school as Hogwart's was a fortress after all-so that would actually make sense.

Nope.

Harry didn't even know where he was going.

Severus took out a bottle with a stopper and handed it to Harry.

"This is a migraine remedy which I suspect you've been in need of for quite a while. Don't take more than half the bottle at once and give it a good five or six hours between doses. Also return the bottle to me once its empty." He explained to the boy flatly.

Snape wasn't a stupid man. And being someone who's played both sides of a war for over a decade he recognized the signs of inner turmoil quite easily in other people. But this person, this specific person was now going to be his responsibility. And although Snape promised there wouldn't be many surprises for Harry, he really was just talking about things in the long run. The professor [soon to be ex employee of Hogwart's ] hoped to Merlin that everything went smoothly and everyone survived the next twenty-four hours.

Harry nodded in response to the potions master's instructions, still not trusting himself to speak. He's faced Voldemort not once but three times already not including his small exchange with him when he was a toddler that made him famous. He even won the Tri-Wizard Tournament at age 13. 2

But when faced with _this_ situation he was still choking on the news.3

Today there wasn't one mad-man after him but two. And the scariest professor he's ever known decided to adopt him after he ran away during the summer and was more or less forced to disclose his home life to the Head master who put him in the care of his abusive family to begin with.

Snape beckoned that he get off the chest he had him sit on to begin with and Harry got up silently. He took a moment to unstopper his new medication and took a swig to find that it had both a pleasant taste and aroma. Once he put the stopper back on the little bottle he was awed by how it literly refilled itself to the brim. His friends who stood off to the side waiting for him also cocked there heads in slight disbeleif.

The children watched the wizard shrink the rather large item and put it in his pocket.

He turned to the teenagers and all but smirked. The expressions around him ranged from uncertain, sullen to mystified. "Enjoy the feast, which should be commencing in about five minutes." He looked at Harry directly. "Make sure to say all your goodbyes we will be leaving most promptly. You are to eat your fill as the trip we are taking will be rather long and we may not be able to stop. Stay at your house table I will collect you when it's time."

"I wouldn't have believed this exchange ever happened if I was not present." Ron voiced.

"So wait, he actually hit you and he's actually still going to be your guardian? And He's not expelled or in any trouble what so ever?"

"The documents were already signed off on. And Dumbledore was present for when he hit me. I-I provoked it Hermoine. I-I was just so taken aback by-by Dumbledore choosing _him_ of all people. I wasn't in any of my classes because Dumbledore more or less suspended me-since my guardian is on staff I wasn't sent away or anything. According to Mc Gonical I was under what if referred to a house arrest. And I suspect I was supposed to be band from the feast tonight." Harry explained.

"Let's go eat, guys." Ron chimed in taking both his friends' arms. "So, how exactly did you provoke it, anyway?"

"Do you think Snape has something to do with you being allowed at the feast?" Hermoine Chimed in skipping along with her best friends. Naturally both boys ignored her query, neither were willing to accept Severus Snape could be so gracious.

Harry started his explanation face sheepish;"Once I realized I was more or less officially adopted and Snape agreed for it or maybe even asked for it I got really _really_ mad. Especially after the headmaster looked me square in the face and told me the decision has been made. I flew off the handle-andcalledhimastupiddiddlerinsearchofcheaplabor-before. I. Attacked. Him."

Hermoine stopped dead and blinked a few times. "Attacked him how actually?"

Harry turned really red. "I just ran at him and well he swatted me off him onto the ground and..." Harry looked on the ground and sighed hoping his friends wouldn't ditch him or hate him after he showed him the bracelet. "He just slapped that on me and left the room after telling me to report to the infirmary after I've calmed down."

Ron looked at his friends in confusion; " I don't actually get the insult...the stupid part I understand. But a-a fiddler?"

Both Harry and Hermoine looked at each other and turned red. Hermoine decided to have pity on Ron She leaned in and explained the significance of the muggle slang word.

Ron paused, "Well, no wonder the greasy git-um-sorry-slugged you! You can't just call people that 'specially teachers!" Ron blurted out.

"That bracelet looks really familiar, Harry. I think it may be an heirloom of some kind. I might have seen it in my copy of Magickal Artifacts or one of the tombs I've gandered through for light reading. Can I actually see it once we sit?"

"Yeah of course but I should warn you, this bleeping thing doesn't actually come off. I've tried over half a dozen spells. Any information you could give me would be very useful." Harry Responded.

Ron proceeded to drag his friends to the great hall for the feast while the two discussed the delicate yet firm white gold serpent bracelet which would not come off.

Two hours past. Dumbledore had an elaborate speech for the four houses to start the last feast of the year off with, wishing everyone a happy festive season, until next year when classes were _sure_ to commence despite all the turmoil and rumors regarding -you-know-who.

The only one at the Griffindor table that seemed to notice something was off was naturally Hermoine Granger. The Slytherines actually scowled after the headmaster's speech and the Raven-claws seemed very sober for the occasion. The Griffindors and hufflepuffs were the only groups acting normally; well, for the most part, after a pause of sorts before the food appeared.

Dumbledore himself seemed rather stiff. His speech was a bit forced and his usual sparkly eyes were no where to be found, instead there was an undertone however slight of fear in his demeanor.

Harry ensured he spoke with all of his friends in his house at least once and he wished many passerby's a very happy Christmas and a good new year between hushed exchanges between himself and his two friends.

"It looks like Professor Snape is getting ready. Harry there is one last thing." Hermoine almost whispered. She took out her wand and cast a summoning spell making a small package wrapped in brown parchment on the table beside her. "Here is your Christmas present from me and Ron," She said hurriedly. "Harry I think your right." She started. " I think something is most definitely afoot. When we went to talk to Dumbledore about you Snape was there. That was what we wanted to share with you but got side tracked for obvious reasons. Harry I don't think your coming back for the second term. With you-know-who and Sirius Black out to get you the most logical thing to do would be to relocate you. I mean your just one kid. One kid that is in a lot of danger right now."

Ron Glared at Hermoine than added swiftly. "Mate, keep your head and owl us as soon as possible." Ron didn't speak his darkest fear as he reached over and squeezed his best friends shoulder. For maybe the first time in his life the fourteen year old held back instead he said almost happily in the most reassuring voice was that "Snape said to us not once but twice that visitations would be arrange-able in the future. His exact words. I was thinking he meant during the Christmas break but well, he doesn't like repeating himself so maybe he was trying to drop a hint." Harry almost perked up at that. His greatest fear was actually the same as Ron's and both boys were happy that it remained an unspoken fear. _What if Snape meant to give him to Voldemort?_ Harry thought grimly trying to look as confident as he could to keep his friends in the realm of okayness.

As if summoned by that vile thought Snape's voice drawled from behind him. "Potter, you'll be serving your last detention of the year _now_. You are to meet me by Professor Hagrid's cabin in ten minutes." Than he stalked off angry looking and as malicious as ever.

Hermoine gave him a look. "You better go, and don't open your gift til Christmas,"

Ron chimed up "You'll probably be late even if you jog mate, he's probably keeping up appearances, to keep things under wraps". Harry nodded as he stood and watched the Slytherine table practically sneering in his direction.

"Thanks, Um err I'm going to have to mail you your gifts. I wasn't able to do any shopping since Dumbledore wouldn't let me off school grounds. Also Ron I guess Hedwig is now your owl, Mate cuz well according to-to um, he's not coming."

Harry awkwardly with almost every persons eyes upon him left the hall and began his trek out to the cabin by the forbidden forest. He spent his walk mentally going over the list of do's and don't his friends gave him.

"There you are Mister Potter," Severus greeted as Harry approached the cabin entrance. "We'll be departing most promptly." The black clad man summoned up Harry's hat and mitts from his trunk and handed them over to him and he cast a warming charm over himself and Harry, a more sophisticated one than Harry was taught at the beginning of winter by professor Flitwick. In explanation he offered: "Our first location is only reachable by foot, we will be walking through the Forbidden Forest and we'll be hiking a few hours."

"Um, where are we going? And how long, exactly sir?" Harry asked sobering at the idea of his new Guardian taking him somewhere so dangerous this late in the evening.

 _Something was most definitely a foot._

"We are going _home_ Mr. Potter. This trek will take at least four hours. We are going to a port key location that due to the magicks in this area I am not willing to risk apparating to. We have a window of time to arrive. So come. Now."

Snape began walking and Harry reluctantly followed him. "But where is home?" Harry asked with just a little desperation in his voice, once in the forest after a few moments of silence.

"We'll discuss this upon our arrival. It's actually best we walk through this particular forest in silence. Your queries will just have to wait until tomorrow. Unless some nice unicorns show up and decide to give us a lift...It's going to be a long hike. And that is just a third of our journey." Snape all but snarled at the teenager and sped up; fully expecting for the unhappy boy who lived to follow.

Harry Potter begrudgingly followed the man. Getting lost and being left alone in the forest without anyone noticing until after winter break just wouldn't be any good. He realized that Snape might be a slight upgrade from his muggle relatives, in any case at least he wouldn't use him being a wizard to ridicule him...not that he wouldn't find other ways to make his life hell.

For example-the pace for this hike was hard to keep up with and there were no breaks but also no mishaps. There was no arguing with Snape either because talking was outlawed. Harry didn't have time to think because of the struggle to keep up. Eventually though they found themselves in a meadow and Snape abruptly stopped and finally acknowledged his panting ward. He pointed to an empty space in the meadow devoid of grass and said "Sit," Suddenly a lovely stone bench appeared and Harry all but complied. "We've got another twenty minute walk to go and only a half hour before our transport becomes _no longer available."_ Snape sighed looking at the very drenched Potter on the stone bench. "Mr. Potter what kind of athlete are you exactly. This is only a simple walk and you look on the verge of death?"

Harry turned redder. "I'm the type of athlete that rides a broom!" he responded sharply. "Why for Merlin's sake couldn't we have just done that?" he asked.

"The gate that serves as our port key only opens once a month. And for some reason the genius who built it also put up anti levitation wards and anti apparition wards for about twenty miles in each direction." Snape responded in a dry voice.

"Put your ointment on Mr. Potter. And take some medication for pain relief, this may be the lat chance for us to sit around for a while. Although your getting tired it's important for you to know that our first destination is not particularly safe. We have a lay over in Belgium from there if things don't pan out as planned, we may be taking a muggle flight."

The older man gave his ward a flask of water. And stood watching the boy as he drank from it and followed his other instructions.

After a moment of collecting himself he looked up at Severus who just stood there watching him. The man didn't even look tired after practically jogging for three and a half hours. This peeved Harry off and although he knew better...

"Oh so your answering questions, great!" Harry snapped. Harry threw up his wrist and demanded. "What is this?"

Snape cupped the bracelet and wrist almost lovingly and smirked at Harry as he tried to pull away only to be yanked up on his feet by force.

"It's time to start walking." Snape stated matter a factly ignoring the question the now extremely angry and scared Harry asked. Instead of setting a pace and expecting to be followed, this time he half dragged half walked Harry along by his adorned arm which he didn't let go.

Harry wasn't crying-he swears there were no tears to be seen. His jaw wouldn't stop shaking and his mind was unable to send the message to speak to his brain. He briefly considered throwing a fit and sitting on the ground which probably would have resulted in being dragged-or worse-carried. So he refrained and tried his best to keep up with the man's pace. After about ten minutes of carrying on like this Harry's first sob broke the silence. Severus dropped the boy's wrist as if it turned to fire or ice.

The man kept walking and expected the boy to follow and be in ear shot of his response. Which Harry did with both his hands over his mouth so his horrible sobbing that he couldn't get control over wouldn't be heard.

"There are a lot of dark Wizards gathering in Belgium at the moment and it's important that neither of our last names are uttered in their hearing range."

Snape began than almost as an after thought added: "Harry. Just call me Uncle Severus from this point on or if you want to try father on for size, you may."

He looked behind him and looked at a pale straight faced boy with dirty blond hair. "Put this on." The man ordered.

Handing Harry a dark green cloak with a hood.

"Keep your hat on and the hood up even if it's not raining or snowing."

The potions master watched the boy button up the cloak successfully hiding the Hogwart's school uniform than lifting the hood up and hiding his scarred forehead. The man inspected his ward from top to bottom and acknowledged that this was as good as it was gonna get.

 _Hi everyone, I'm Voldemort's right hand man turned Harry bleeping Potter's, **father.**_

Severus berated himself for the poor choices he's made in this lifetime. Particularly the ones regarding the child before him. Snape had a short fuse and he knew he'd really have to work on it if things worked out.

"That bracelet on your wrist needs to be kept out of sight. It's a family heirloom. Mainly it serves as a locating charm if something were to happen to you. I guess I should have let you know it won't be coming off as easily as just with a spell." He finally answered Harry.

Harry stayed still and kept his head down. His wrist was throbbing and he was embarrassed by his sobs which although not even acknowledged by the man in front of him that suggested he actually call him _father,_ changed everything for them. Harry now knew as a point blank fact that Severus Snape was not an upgrade from the Dursley family and he'd have to be even more cautious with him because of him being a wizard. After all he managed to run away from the Dursley clan but with Snape he's had a location device on him since day one. Harry at this point vowed to find a way to get away, he wasn't going to spend the rest of his life ye siring and no siring and being beaten up for it.

"It's time, and we're here." Snape announced.

They walked right into a mini version of Stonehenge.

A very mini version the stones only reached Harry's knees and there was barely enough room for the two of them. "Hug me and hold tight. If anything goes wrong at all find your way to a la morte subire on rue Montagne-aux-Herbes. This may be a struggle since most people will be speaking Dutch but you'll find help I'm sure in English eventually." Severus denoted there exact location from this port finally. And opened his arms demanding silently that Harry comply with his request.

 _Weirder things surely have happened._

Harry smirked to himself as he stepped into the waiting embrace of his least favorite Professor and reformed death eater turned _father figure_. The fear of winding up in Voldemort's arms next was very real and worst yet...what if Sirius Black was waiting for them at this Morte place.

Severus Snape uttered an extremely long and strange incantation once Harry wrapped his arms around him tightly shut his eyes and prayed, _prayed_ to Merlin as he didn't have any concept of god like some muggles do: that Voldemort didn't play a role in his life in the near future. And as if by chance a thought popped into Harry's head:

 _Morte is the french word for death!_

Harry was about to wrestle his way out of the embrace he entered into just seconds ago. He was only four-teen. And his appointed guardian _appointed_ this man. Harry's upbringing sort of demanded almost a total suck it up sort of attitude but as the universe spiraled away from them and Harry was trapped in a black vortex heading towards Merlin knew what. The unspoken fears at the feast really began to manifest into a very visible fear.

As the world spun more vividly than came to a halt with them standing on cobble stone in a back alley instead of in the middle of a rock formation surrounded by trees. Harry's eyes were shut tightly and he was squeezing Snape so tightly the man couldn't breath.

Harry was shaking not from the effects of the magical mode of transportation but because his life albeit short life was flashing before his eyes. He was positive he wouldn't get to see morning light.

"Let go," Snape gasped.

Harry couldn't move at least not until he heard very clear parcel tongue state:

 **No death.**

"What?" Asked Harry flabbergasted by the rocky gargling snake voice. Still clinging on to his guardian.

"Let me go Harry, We have arrived." Snape almost yelled. At the same time the snake voice come back with a retort.

 **No death. Just life. Tiss sss sssimple.**

Harry let go of Severus and looked really confused and embarrassed and for the first time really took in his surroundings.

Nice cobble stones, old brick walls. Absolutely no other wizards. Especially no Voldemort or his death eaters and also no snakes. Harry sighed in relief feeling like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders one he didn't even know he was carrying he sighed thankful that this wasn't the trap he felt so certain it was a moment ago.

"Harry hood up, and come. Keep me in your sights at all times. Oh and am I going to be be uncle or father?"

Harry complied quickly with the hood and screwed his face up a bit. Oh right he wasn't allowed to use last names anymore. He also couldn't utter the word _father. And uncle reminded him too much of Vernon and..._

"Can't I just call you professor?" Harry asked quietly.

"Nope." Severus stated flatly. "Just refer to me as Severus if you can't call me uncle or father and if for any reason you need to address me."

"yes sir," Harry confirmed a bit mortified at the topic.

"No siring me anymore, Harry I am not your professor any longer or anyone's for that matter. Say: Yes Severus." The man's voice was still flat.

"Yes Severus," Harry tried it on for size. Starting to feel vertigo and really tired. "We're not returning to Britain or-or school at all are we?"

"That we'll discuss later." Snape uttered. "No slip ups for now okay, these Belgian wizards-they are a different sort than your used to they'll make assumptions if they see me with a younger boy and he's calling _me_ sir. Ones neither of us wants made."

The rumors about the establishment here was that children disappear. Professor Mc Gonical warned that although her connections are trustworthy. Safety would not be a garuntee.

Severus was putting in serious effort here and it seemed not to be getting him anywhere. The details about the more or less illegal transport method he planned on getting for them so that their were-a-bouts could not be easily traced were not for Harry's ears but if the boy couldn't conduct himself appropriately it would bring trouble.

"Let's go, times a wasting if all goes well we'll be home in under an hour." Snape uttered and turned towards the wall of the alleys dead end as Harry faced the only way out of the alley waiting to be directed and assuming the most obvious exit would be their's.

"Come this way and pay close attention. This is the side wall of a very ancient pub called a la morte subire. This is very similar to Diagon alley in London, where we are headed. Make sure to remember where this exact wall we come through is located, it's important in case we get seperated or need to make a run for it. Here this place is called the hide away or that's ruffly what it translates to. To enter all you have to do is beseech entrance in the native tongue and tap the brick using a magickal instrument. Even a broom would actually work ironically." Snape smiled noticing that Harry's coloring was returning and he was paying close attention. "To leave tap the discolored brick on the other side and say, Vrijheid which actually translates to the english word freedom."

"Vrijheid," Harry said and locked the foreign word into memory. Harry also fumbled around his school uniform and cloak making sure his forehead scar was well covered and his wand ready just in case there really was an ambush.

Severus nodded in appreciation realizing that the boy was actually ready or at least as ready as a fourteen year old wizard in training could be.

Severus pulled out his wand and tapped a slightly discolored brick and said once again an encantation Harry's never heard before: "Naar de ingang Smeken toevuchtoord."

The bricks rearranged themselves exactly as they did to enter Diagon Alley in London. As the man and the boy stepped through into the hideaway the brick wall closed behind them and Harry turned to spot the discolored one. Which he did with no trouble.

"Welkom, welkom, my British friend. At last you've arrived; and just on time." A seven foot tall man with long hair and beard hollered from behind a very distinct bar counter. He was dressed as a viking with head gear and armor.

They were inside the a la morte subire wizarding addition which was quite well lit and clean. This place served as entrance into the muggle world a bar and pub and also had rooms for rent upstairs for a pretty penny mind you. The bar keep pointed out a smooth oak table with a couple benches and Severus led Harry to it.

"How are you gentlemen, this evening?" asked the viking in a thick accent. While the pair sat across from each other both facing the bar keep. Harry's head although turned to him was actually hidden behind his hood.

"Extreemly tired, the boy here was not prepared for an eleven mile hike, quidditch is not an addicquate sport to keep a boy fit." Snape retorted.

The viking burst out laughing making everything vibrate in the visinity. And making Harry's cheeks flush.

"Of course such tomfoolery won't prepare one for real physical labor." The man boomed most mockingly. "As for your witch friend's request all things are a go." The viking sobered. "You'll be ready to go in a half hour. In the meantime Have a pie on the house."

The bar keep placed two stone mugs before the patrons and hid a small silver key under one ensuring no one but Snape noticed it, it ha triangle and a little dash etched into it. It was the Greek numeral for one hundred and four. Snape nodded and winced a bit. As the viking fella also slapped down stone plates and a couple of bronze forks with only three prongs in them. Than he swiftly returned with a steaming pie that had a knife embedded into it.

Laughing and hollering and a bit red faced he sang out drawing attention from the only two other patrons in the bar that both Snape and Harry noticed took it upon themselves to leave quite quickly via the entrance into the rest of the Hide away and not the muggle world;

"Sing a song for sixpence, a pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds baked into my pie." He laughed as if someone told him a joke. "With you English here I couldn't help but try my hand at black bird pie. Quite extrordinary!"

After the door closed behind the witches and the viking poured white beer in the two stone mugs. He tilted the remainder in the pitcher and gulped it down himself. Lifted the empty pitcher and all but yelled "drink up, eat up!" Than he leaned in so his whisper could be heard by the seated duo.

"I've tried to keep it under wraps you've but twenty minutes to wait and a five minute window of time opens for you in the fireplace. You leave exactly at eleven at night. At midnight this place will be flooded with official evacuees. All mud bloods, make sure to send notice if you make it-that there is an information leak if anything happens to you the poor fuckers will be coming here to die."

The viking himself backed up and went towards the kitchen hoping to reach the back door. Only he took too long and he got stung from behind.

"Avada Kedavra! A high pitched female voice yelled once. And a viking dropped to the ground motionless.

"Avad Kedavra!" She screamed again hitting Harry Potter just barely but the boy dropped to the ground. The table, pie and two beer mugs flew onto the ground as Severus flipped the table to hide what should have been a dead boy who lived. But instead was an angry teenager crouching wand in a hand eyes buldging.

And a little snake voice sang out in parcel tongue so only Harry could hear it.

 **No death noo death nooo death not todayyy noooooot toooday nooo dead nooodeaths**

Harry driven by the sound of the little song and his strange invincability turned to Bellatrix Le Strange dressed to the nines in torn rags and matted hair as if she's never heard of a brush and he screamed out

"Avada Kedavra."

himself with nothing but rage to fuel him. Wand pointed hearing every word about the soon to be dead mud bloods that the now dead viking bar keeper spake go over and over going through his mind. Harry felt very responsible for what happened next but only after the fact would he recognize himself as a murderer, although he'd be dubbed **Savior** for the second time in his fourteen year old life.

Today not one, not two but five death eaters got "Avada Kedavra," screamed at them before they could even lift their wands and acknowledge that once again the death curse has failed to kill Harry bleeping Potter.

And they fell and died. First it was Bellatrix La Strange than it was Lucious Malfoy. After that it was Fenrir Greyback finally it was Amycus Carrow, the last death was a random new recruit. But Harry knew who his first four victims were despite their garb and masks.

It felt beyond calculated.

Harry Potter did it in the course of twenty seconds.

The snake song carried on keeping Harry sharp, keeping him motivated and keeping him virtually immortal, as all manner of stunners and charms bounced off him if he didn't deflect them in time.

Six other death eaters were severly injured at the hands of Severus Snape who also resorted to the death curse in his day, but today he felt much more malishious and resorted to crucioing the very large men blocking the way on the duo of dueling wizards.

A very unlucky death eater named Peter Pettigrew, the same one that cut Harry in the cemetery considered a sneak attack on Harry via knife, specifically the knife in the crow pie. He crawled on the floor and retrieved it. Upon pulling the knife out twenty four crows emerged from the pie and pecked out his eyes before taking flight upward flying in a not very random circular motion before swooping down on unsespecting death eaters briefly only to rise again swiftly to avoid being stunned.

Portraits screamed as if in agony and Severus grabbed Harry by the sleeve and pulled him along for the second time that day towards the staircase, towards the upstairs rooms, towards the room marked P triangle dash, towards freedom safety and towards staying alive and it wasn't just there lives at stake.

Although many of the enemy died more kept piling into the Hideaway pub . By some miracle eventually and only with minor wounds on Snape's part and none on Harry's part they made it to the specified room with five minutes before their portal was to close.

Just enough time.

Time to notify the evacuees and time to throw floo powder into the fire and time to jump in and have the portal close on the pink clad madame that burst into the room only to grab hold of Snape's robe and tear of a piece of the fabric on his arm revealing the man's dark mark before he disappeared.

Delores Umbridge screamed and raged unable to track the movements of the potions master and his ward. The first three who dared enter the room met death. "Severus Snape will pay," she screamed each time. "This is just not done!"

"You will pay for this you Mud-blood loving scum!"

Harry found himself submerged in water. The water was salty and he was at peace slowly drifting downward.

The snake song has ended and Harry felt ready to drift into the slumber called death, he knew at that moment that he was no better than any of the Death eaters he had killed that night.

Suddenly strong arms pulled him out and held him close and he was dry. He at first thought he imagined it but the air did smell different. He didn't exactly black out but he also didn't exactly not black out after the fight. He more or less checked out after the snake's song ended. So it took him close to an hour to realize where he was. And more specifacally that it was eleven pm an hour ago and now it was closer to late afternoon of evening.

"Have I been out long?" Harry croaked certain he felt material brush against his cloak. He was definitely sitting propped against cold stone and they were outside.

"Not really; but I guess I should warn you. Where we are it is now seven pm the same day and exact time we left the feast yesturday." There was a bit of a smile behind Severus's words. They made it, and although in the state he was in aparating was out of the question, a good nights rest was a cab ride away.

Harry Potter opened his eyes and looked around. He and Severus Snape were lounging around on top of the statue of liberty.

The city lights during the festive season felt promising. Harry smiled this was so not where he thought he's wind up.

"What happens now, sir?" He asked really uncertain how much of the last six hours he dreamed up.

Snape reemed him out atomatically for calling him sir. Although this situation was strange for both of them and Severus himself couldn't believe it, but sir was not what he wanted Harry to adress him as. It was too formal and regal and stiff and reminded him too much of Snape senior.

Harry's head lulled downward while Severus carried on until his eyes landed on the snake bracelet.

"The bracelet changed," Harry stated frantically. "It's eyes are open. And it talks in parcel tongue and it's creepy. Get it off!" The boy demanded thrusting his wrist at the man sitting beside him cross legged.

The older man hmm'd and looked at the two ruby red eyes that were definetly not there before.

"Fine." He stated resigned to appease the upset boy. "Just don't go missing, okay."

Harry rolled his eyes irritated beyond belief.

Severus went to take the thin chain off via the clasp explaining himself;

"Simply put, only the person that put it on can remove it. Ironically the last person that wore it died wearing it because his mother went missing. And if this is the original bracalet that person would have been Salazar Slytherin."

Severus successfully unclasped it only for the white gold piece of metal to jump into horrific movement and transfigure into a much more realistic snake. Small white gold fangs popped out of a tiny mouth and bit the man's thumb before jumping back on Harry's wrist.

Now the smooth white gold was interlaced with yellow gold scales. There was no more clasp, the tiny snake settled around the boy's wrist with it's tail in it's own mouth. Red eyes mocking the shocked wizards.

"It just bit me." Snape stated dumbly and started laughing almost hysterically."I guess this must be the original, and it's bonded to you."

The man wiped tears from his eyes. He was crying from laughing so hard.

Harry was not to be so amused.

"This is...weird...Severus. All of it." Harry stated tears welling up in his eyes. "Can we just go...home."

Severus nodded appreciating the sentiment.

"We have to jump, we'll automatically be propelled to times square and we'll have to stay in a muggle motel tonight, tomorrow we have to take an airplane flight. As you may imagine this is not how things were meant to go."

Harry nodded appreciating the explanation.

Than the fourteen year old paled. The dark mark on Severus Snape's arm was showing. Harry never actually seeing it before on live flesh so close was filled with dread.

"I cannot exactly go into a tattoo parlor and have it removed, Harry. But it is deactivated and you and I are both safe and on a different continent." Snape drawled.

 _Where it's best we till avoid the wizarding world. At least for the time being._

Severus Snape's eyes were glazed over slightly with a bit of Malice; "Don't question me about this, it is time to go Harry."

Harry nodded, not really having much of a choice he ignored the very obvious problems at hand and settled in to ignoring his own common sense: Basically smartening up in regards to the angry man with him. Most of the do's and don'ts Hermoine and Ron helped Harry with hours earlier were gone. The boy who lived was back in survival mode a state in which neither of his Hogwart's friends ever got to see him in.

1Harry Potter in this story is a boy with blue eyes and dirty blond hair and a wicked lightening shaped scar.

2In this fictional work based off of J. k Rowling's series I've switched books [and some scenarios] around for my own amusement and plot development. This story takes place in fourth year. But Harry's already won the Tri-Wizard Tournament cup and Voldemort is already back in action undeniably. In this work it's important to know that Ron's rat went missing in the first book. And that Harry decided to run away in the summer between third and fourth year. Finally, the reason his god father escaped from prison is because he got wind of Harry being forced to participate in the tournament at thirteen and also of Voldemort's' return.

3Dumbledore chose to pick Harry over some stupid agenda to save the world from Voldemort. He picked a gaurdian that would do what he felt was right for the child even if it meant neglecting the prophecy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part two**

Harry Potter moaned in his sleep which was definitely on the the verge of being interrupted

"This is just deplorable,"

"Just absolutely deplorable,"

The fourteen year old heard rummaging in the background followed by gasps and very clear swear words being uttered.

Snape was sorting through the meager muggle clothing he found in Harry Potters' trunk and looked upon them in complete disgust. Muttering bad words under his breath.

 _These muggles really must have been truly unsuitable to care for a child. H_ e thought grimly to himself.

Severus continued grumbling under his breath until Harry couldn't pretend not to want answers and opened his eyes and rolled out of bed, facing the table where all of his property was being sorted.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked clearly upset by what he was seeing.

"Well right now Mister Potter I'm trying to figure out why a young wizard who's account at Gringotts suggests he could afford an entire clothing store, if he _chose_ to buy it is wearing hand-me-downs that even the homeless would pass on," Severus Snape retorted smirking.

The duo were sharing a room at the 11 Howard. After a swift hand motion from the wizard to clean them up and make them look normal[like muggles] and after they literally jumped off the Statue of Liberty into Times Square. They flagged down a cab[Harry was miffed that Snape had American muggle money with him and lots of it apparently].They went to three other hotels by cab before they managed to get a room for one night for what appeared to be a small ransom.

Severus left him alone to get ready for bed only to return with bags of Chinese take-out for them to pig out on before passing out.

Severus never stated they had to share a room and Harry wasn't about to break his vow of silence after seeing the dark mark on his arm.

Harry was quite aware of his pajamas which at one point belonged to his cousin but Snape didn't seem to notice them at all last night.

Today he apparently noticed.

"Well?" Snape pushed wanting an actual answer to his question.

Harry sighed.

"I'm so not up to talking about it." Harry used the same flat tone Severus seemed to have mastered during their time together. He plopped down onto the bed and put the covers over his head wishing he never got up.

"Too bad." He heard Snape walk towards the bed and the covers were swiftly yanked up from him.

"Let's talk about it," Snape stated. "It's okay if I just do the talking; you can chime in though."

Snape pulled out a large yellow envelope and from it pulled out a United Kingdom passport and a Canadian one[both apparently Harry's] and a ticket to their destination and handed it to Harry. Harry checked and rechecked the destination on the ticket and looked at Snape questioningly and looked at the pass port with his picture.

The boy didn't miss that the Canadian passport had his picture on it and his first name but the last name on that one was not Potter...nor was it Snape...it was Evans.

Not knowing how to breech that topic or any topic really he fell silent and still and waited for Severus to 'do the talking' as he said he'd happily do-for them both.

"I have cousins in Canada, a while ago I sent them funds to buy me a house near their residence. Quite a while ago actually so this transaction will be rather untraceable by anyone back from where we used to reside, especially you-know-who. But what I'm trying to get at is that the past can remain in the past. We are in a world renowned shopping destination and we're stuck here for about another five hours before we can even think of going to the airport. So we're going to burn these rags and do some shopping."

 _Snape changed his mind about saying something mid statement._ Harry was sure of it.

Harry cocked his head at him as if to say this shopping idea was the stupidest idea ever meant to serve as a distraction.

Snape looked nervous to Harry but this time instead of laying hands on him or dragging him the man was cutting himself off and was stumbling through words. So, Harry chose to subtly come in to save Snape, even though he was still resigned to _hate_ him.

"How did you pull any of this off? I mean your a pure blooded wizard. And based on how Mr. Weasley acted I just assumed wizards didn't know much about the muggle world." Harry asked sheepishly.

"Also...I don't exactly have funds to do any shopping at all. Even if we are in New York." he stated even more sheepishly.

Harry cocked his head at his former professor again watching the man's nervous expression fade away and finally.

"How do you even know about my account at Gringotts?" He finally asked his guardian as non nonchalantly as possible.

Severus Snape smiled at Harry. He dumped the last item out of the envelope and handed Harry a replica of the key he had to his family volts.

"This is the _spare_ key[the one that was not supposed to be able to exist] that Dumbledore was holding onto to in regards to the Potter volts, Harry." The wizard got off the bed and walked towards the boy's things which he took some liberties with. "I've taken the liberty of having all of your assets transferred to a similar institution in Toronto so you see you will not only have access to the _Potter's_ treasure. From this point on you will be the only one with _that_ access. However being your guardian I am restricting that until you reach the age of majority. Accept maybe to make some investments to grow your funds. And seeing as I am your guardian; anything in regards to you is my business from this point on. That being said. When I say we are destroying this poor excuse for a wardrobe and acquiring a new one. It means I fully intend on paying for it."

He picked out a tee shirt and a pair of pants out of the piles of clothing and threw them on the bed. Than the rest of the clothing including Hogwarts uniform went up in flame. Within minutes everything else Harry practically ever owned including the package Hermoine gave him was in his trunk and shrunk down to fit in Snape's pocket once again.

This could have waited until the teenager felt secure and they were at their new residence.

Snape himself was wearing the same muggle outfit he transfigured himself into the night before: A pair of black boots, dark blue jeans a turtle neck sweater under a large green winter jacket. His hair was also neat and tied back, and definitely not greasy, but a bit wavy.

He looked like a total muggle and it was almost surreal.

It was a rather stormy December twenty-third morning as a blond boy and a man checked out of the 11 Howard and Harry got forcibly escorted to several clothing outlets, and a hair-dresser to more or less have his head shaved.

The Hair-dresser made a joke about a mo-hawk suiting Harry-noticing how sullen and angry he was the whole time. Which to Snape's and the hair-dresser's complete dismay Harry agreed to hurriedly. And he demanded it be dyed a burgundy red...

Snape figured out that he screwed up majorly by screwing around with Harry's possessions earlier that morning and simply tried to let it go. After all mo-hawks were easy to chop off after the fact...once the mo-hawk wearer was being more reasonable...The hair dye though had to go, it was atrocious and unnatural. Plus they were wizards and there were in fact less messy charms for this type of thing.

After that they visited the optometrist to buy glasses that actually suited Harry-somehow Snape already had the prescription needed.

Harry wound up walking out with a pair of silver framed square glasses, a pair of prescription sun glasses and a box of trial contact lenses.

Before too long they wound up at the airport and boarded the flight with absolutely no trouble. The shopping bags were shrunk and stowed away before they entered the airport.

Harry watched himself in reflections in disbelief of how he looked as after there first shopping trip he was told to stay in the last out-fit he picked out.

Apparently having clothing in your own size made a huge difference.

Harry refused to talk to Snape or really knowledge him after their morning conversation unless he had no choice[was asked a very direct question]. The clothing served as a distraction for a little bit of time. But eventually the teenager's fears would make him with draw.

 _What can really come next._

He did kill five grown-ups after all-he could wind up in prison.

The Evans pass port was a bit of a mystery, at least to Harry.

As usual Snape side stepped all of Harry's questions that morning. Crushing the boys olive branch in it's entirety. So, although Severus was right beside him Harry Potter/Harry Evans felt very much alone.

He didn't want Snape to know about his nightmares. So, he just rested for most of the night last night instead of sleeping leaving him extra tired and more irritable and maybe not as cautious as he should have been. He did evidently act out at the Hair dresser's but now weariness sunk in. Clearly Snape didn't plan on handing him over to the death eaters...at least not yet.

Snape didn't seem to care either way about the hair-dresser incident, but the duo were in public. Poor Harry just couldn't figure out how much more of a _prat_ his new guardian was going to be so he began torturing himself with possible scenarios, most of which not even close to the truth.

Harry wasn't sulking he was being meek and obedient while awaiting punishment, the way he would if uncle Vernon blamed him for something strange happening at home. At home he also never got new things let alone used anything with out there being a catch. So that's the jift of it. Harry's second question which the boy couldn't have voiced if he wanted to mainly out of terror was:

 _What am I gonna have to do to repay him for all these clothes._

Harry's best solution if any demands were made included him paying Snape for everything using his gold and him being left alone more or less. But even if Snape was just in it for the money, which Harry did kind of doubt-it couldn't be that simple-but the man already brought up the Potter volts-so maybe it could be that simple.

Although Harry's hair cut did seem to spell it out quite well to Snape. He chose to ignore it and let the silent treatment and sulking go on. Nothing actually really changed from the way it was at Hogwarts between them as of yet; accept for maybe this time he actually deserved some of the attitude thrown his way by what Snape saw as a rather poorly informed teenager. He was even quite aware that the poorly informed part was actually his fault. Severus felt remorseful but he hid it well, he made a promise stupidly to hold off on explanations as much as possible.

Harry didn't know the flight would take under two hours.

By seven pm they were leaving the airport and hopping yet another cab. The pavement was disgustingly slushy with gray half melted snow everywhere he turned. The city lights were noticeably bright in the pitch black out side. And do to the holiday season even the small trees had lights and decorations on them.

Harry felt exactly the way he felt as a little boy when he first got a glimpse of London. But his weariness of the man he viewed as a predator made him go to some lengths to hide his real elation at being somewhere so new and vast.

12 Grimmauld place[London].

The order of the phoenix gathered around a laptop in the dining room. Amongst them was present Hermoine Granger and her muggle parents.

"So my dears, It appears that Harry Potter and Severus Snape got away and saved an entire five families from slaughter, the evacuees trying to avoid the war all together that were going to use the transportation channels from Belgium are kind of stuck at the moment. However with a little help from foreign elites and the American minister of Magic himself we'll have this sorted out in a jiffy." Molly Weasley announced to the group sitting with her.

She was thrilled that the boy in question was safe and still saving people it appeared. She and Albus Dumbledore did have words about Severus Snape just walking off with him...but apparently this wasn't something the mother of seven could of stopped even if she was aware of it before hand.

Secrets like the ones that allowed Severus Snape to walk off with one of his least favorite students were the sort that didn't just hurt but killed people in a stupid war like theirs.

'F.Y.I It's always best to keep secrets secret esp. when at war with evil under educated wizards.'

All Dumbledore said in this regards was that she'd have to ask Snape or Harry herself in a few weeks.

"So, what did you lot get a laptop for?" Asked Mr. Granger.

The well put together gentleman was of course privy to the evil wizard problem just as was everyone in the room even though he wasn't a wizard himself. Hermoine was actually a good daughter and although leaving her parents out of it did cross her mind she gave them the choice and the couple chose to~without a second thought~get off the grid with there baby. Relocating overseas wasn't out of the question especially if it would keep their baby alive and well.

Also knowing wizards or being related to a very good witch made packing very easy. Not their belongings but their entire home which the muggles just finished paying off was shrunk and comfortably placed into a reinforced suitcase. Hermoine had three pages of incantations to learn but were ever they'd wind up all they had to do was acquire a plot of land. Home really was where the the heart is in this family and it always would be, it seemed.

"Well you see we've gotten word from Minister Arty Muse that in the United States and Canada alike a magickal breakthrough has allowed our wizarding cousins to make use of electronics and even the world wide web within the same space as magic. This is old news really, twenty years old now." Albus began explaining.

There was a twinkle in his eyes threatening everyone in the room.

"Of course this wasn't much of a secret but it was kept from our warring communities so certain pure-bloods and dark wizards couldn't exploit this to their own benefit."

The head master began coughing profusely and popped a lemon drop into his mouth, interrupting minutely.

"Arthur Weasley was _um_ **is** our expert in this department but he's escorting the rest of his family to there relocation point. He was actually the only one in our order and government technically who received regular communications and training in these technologies from wizards overseas and also kept them up to date as much as possible of our circumstances. Everyone else who ever found this tidbit of information out was either under oath and unable to share it or the memory of it was obliterated before it could even be shared. So you see our younger generation has suffered much more immensely than they even know due to our misguided pure-blooded wizard problem."

Every one in the room just stared at the head master.

Ronald Weasley was the one who broke the silence first; "Blimey, Dad's been keeping a mammoth one from us!" He all but yelled.

"Ronald Weasley I let you stay behind with your friend," Molly tilted her head acknowledging Hermoine, "Under the condition that you behave, so please do so." She scolded.

Ron stared at his mother red faced from anger in regards to the deceit of his parents and elders; "But mum..." He started than he stopped realizing he was making a scene at a formal meeting.

A lot of the older wizards and witches looked extra glum and they nodded confirmation in regards to the Head masters' speech.

Molly's gaze fell back onto Hermoine, than she looked at her parents.

"In short, we have one of three working lap tubs in the country but we don't know how to get onto gaw-gull to send an A-mail or see if there are any developments in regards to our mass evacuation of this region, sooo we need your help to be able to co-operate with the wizards overseas." She surmised for everyone Especially the muggles she was still studying.

Hermoine Granger's mother looked at the witch and started chuckling.

" That won't be a problem,Molly. We just need the **E-mail** address and password." She stated point blank.

Finally her computer expertise would come of use. The woman prided herself on going to night school to learn computer skills-something she did in her forties. She flexed her arms stretched them and pulled the device over."

"No problem," A feminine voice stated and handed the muggle woman a slip of paper. Sitting right next to the muggle and doing her best to follow and commit the logging on process to memory.

"This is our address, apparently each individual or in this case group has their own."

The slim middle aged woman nodded and began the process of opening the order's very first ever email account.

"Oh Severus Snape, has sent a communication from New York, both confirming that they escaped and are well...headed to there new home via Airplane. He's asking if the families that planned on going through Belgium are safe and also..."

The Auror who was now sitting beside Miss. Granger paused.

"Also he says and I quote; "Peter Petigrew is alive. Although he was under siege of black bird pie it was plain as day _him_. Please investigate further and DO NOT KILL SIRIUS BLACK ON SIGHT."

There was a gasp in the room from everyone but the two aurors who already got word from the Belgium magickal authority of his capture by the aurors in that area. The man was blind and his tongue loosened;

Sirius Black was about to get a public Pardon for his involvement in the Potter deaths.

Than there was a second gasp as Draco Malfoy stormed into the crowded dining area and pushed his way through to come face to face with Dumbledore and the other heads of The Order of the Phoenix.

He tossed a paper onto the table clearly fuming mad.

"My father, the head of the Malfoy Family is now dead. Rita Skeeter has struck again and managed to seriously misinform our community." The fifteen year old boy almost screamed.

"Mother, doesn't know, yet." He added quietly.

"Draco my boy," Albus Dumbledore stood up and gave the rather unwell looking teenager his own chair.

"I'm glad you've chosen to join us. Your actually right on time. We are the last group of evacuees and we'll be leaving-" Albus was cut off by the electronic device which made a funny little noise.

Everyone in the room looked towards it and the Auror smiled.

"We have our go ahead for in twenty minutes from now," She said quite happy that nothing unforeseen occurred tonight.

Harry Potter sat across the table from Severus Snape playing with the mash potatoes and peas left on his plate.

"Do you not like potatoes or peas,Harry." Snape drawled boredly watching the teenager sitting across from him.

Harry shook his head.

"Still sulking, I see." The tired wizard announced and snapped his fingers making Harry's dinner plate disappear and a bowl of chicken stew appear in it's stead.

"Thanks." Harry said politely still not overly interested in dinner but willing to try and make an effort because the potions master obviously was trying very hard.

The house they arrived at wasn't livable. It was a three story home outside of the city with no neighbors for what looked like miles in any direction. The drive up to the actual house was twenty minutes long from the main road. Snape had to assure Harry that they owned several acres and there really was a community near by. The cab ride was two hours long after they left Toronto and dinner was quite late.

In twenty minutes from there arrival the kitchen was spik and span, dust free and even pleasant if Harry were honest with himself.

There were currently three house elves cleaning up the rest of the house interior. These house elves were fully dressed and didn't start working on the house until proper introductions were made and payment was given.

Moxy, Pixy and Foxy were quite happy with their salary of two gold coins each [which translated roughly to about 2000 dollars each Canadian]. The contract was for no longer than a two week period in which they were to dust, paint, varnish, fumigate and completely unpack. They would do this to every room in the house, they would paint the exterior and interior alike, take care of any broken windows and any vermin.

Tonight only the kitchen and the two bedrooms with the en-suit bathrooms would be done or at least done enough to be usable. They would set up a green house and lab that Severus wanted put together and turn the unfinished basement into a library.

They would also charm the house to current living standards in Canada.

The real work would start on the 24rth of December. And the wizards where to make themselves scarce and only live in the kitchen and bedroom areas if in the house at all.

Cleaning up after themselves and cooking was still the Wizards responsibility.

Harry finally managed to finish what Severus considered a sufficient amount of dinner when Moxy popped in to announce that the bedrooms were ready.

"The wizard, gentlemen can kindly head upstairs now for a proper introduction to there living areas." Moxy stated boldly. "Also Moxy will have the electric running through the home by tomorrow evening so there won't be needs for charms or candles from than on." Moxy popped out.

And Harry was left a little worried. "It's okay Harry. There are charms available that allow electronics and magicks not to intervene with one another. It's a standard charm used in these parts, actually." Snape explained.

They both stood after quickly using a charm to clean and put away dishes and any messes on the tables and canceling the illumination charm which made the kitchen area bright enough to eat in, leaving them in the dark room for a brief instant.

They walked through the door into the dark house with wands out to see where they were going and up the stairs. "So, what exactly are you telling me?" Harry asked still uncertain.

"We will have electricity and still be able to use magic freely by tomorrow night. Yes, before you ask there will be a television in this house." Snape explained again a bit curtly.

Upstairs Severus led Harry to his room where Foxy was waiting for him a bit impatiently. On the dresser was what looked like an oil lamp but it too was powered by magic.

Harry experienced living with a wizarding family-The Weasley's when Ron picked him up during the first couple of summers at school-it was very pleasant and he saw how Miss. Weasley did her chores and what not by magic. It was incredible, but alas also tiring. Being a house hold with many children they couldn't afford lighting charms they didn't make themselves in every room. The charms had to be charged regularly with magic which took away from a persons stamina.

"Good night," Snape called out leaving Harry alone with the small green lady dressed in child sized jeans and t-shirt.

"Foxy, shows Harry his thingys. Pixy shows Severus his thingys. than Foxy, Moxy and Pixy goes. We be backs tomorrow afternoon. We shop in the morning. Lot's of shops to go to." The house elf paused and grimaced. The grimance was probably a smile but it was hard to tell on the little green face with it's large eyes long ears and long nose. "We Elves doesn't celebrate Christmasses but on the 25th we be starting at 11 pemz for wizardsez to have peace."

Foxy showed and explained every location used in the unpacking of his belongings and warned Harry that there will not be a warm water until tomorrow evening. Which really didn't make a difference as he really had no toiletry's yet anyway. Which wasn't as much of a problem as it would be for a muggle as being a wizard, Harry used an uncomplicated charm to clean himself. It wasn't the same as showering but it did the trick.

In his new pj's Harry crawled into bed. He passed out almost instantly.

Harry Potter slept past noon. He wasn't pestered with his usual nightmares. But he did have a very vivid dream that it was Christmas and he was sitting at a large table with the Potter Family. His mother would look over and smile at him and kept on feeding him cake. Every time he finished a piece she'd make another slice appear before him. The room was loud and cheerful and Harry's father Mr. Potter kept on making jokes albeit the harmless ones that sent the whole dinner party into a loud hysterical laughter. All the other faces in the room were bleary but the table was filled to capacity with foods and a lot of people were helping themselves to goose and other festive dishes.

"Wake up." Harry heard a man's voice call out. Than he was being shook and the black out curtain to his room was being open to let in the rather bright winter light in from outside.

Harry groaned and pulled the covers over his head. "Harry, it's 1:30 the shops in the township close early today. And we need to do some Christmas shopping among other things. Don't you have gifts you'd like to pick up-I know you were unable to go into Hogsmead all school year with the other children."

 _Fine._

Harry threw the covers off his head to be assaulted with the bright light that filled the room and a fully dressed and strangely chipper Severus Snape.

Today Snape's usually black greasy straight hair was loose and not greasy at all, but down right curly and it was definitely lighter than the coal black it appeared to be while in school. He also wasn't dressed in black. It was odd, to say the least.

It also felt strange noticing this weird change in his former professor.

"Get dressed, the sooner we leave the more ground we'll be able to cover. Breakfast-or is it brunch- is getting cold." Snape left the room still very obviously happy. It was almost an unnatural change in a man who's demeanor always seemed sour and at times totally hateful.

Harry complied as quickly as he could which wasn't very fast at all. He left his bed unmade and his sleep ware scattered around the room shelves and drawers left a jar, the teenager was totally weighed down by the effort it took to find clothing when none of it was familiar to him, as of yet .

He went down stairs finally able to see the wooden staircase with it's banister leading towards the living area and the kitchen where he was headed.

There was a broken window at the end of the hall that was boarded up on the top floor, the paint was peeling and the stairs although probably a rather beautiful oak at one point were quite worn. Harry saw first hand why Snape hired so many house elves to assist in making the country home livable. His room was spacious and it was dusted and furnished but it too would need a face lift.

 _I have my own bathroom._

Harry began waking up to the idea that this would really be _home._

Alas Harry also lacked toiletry's so a shower although would have been nice wasn't happening until tonight. That being a part of his routine in school was sorrily missed and left him a tad disgruntled.

Down stairs the round kitchen table held a meal for him ready to be devoured. He had blue berry waffles with chocolate syrup and strawberries, bacon and eggs with cheese and orange slices...and also hot coco instead of tea or coffee.

Harry felt like the rather large breakfast might have been a bribe; with the Dursley's he'd be lucky if he got a burnt sausage. And although Molly Weasley was a great mum, breakfast was usually a simple porridge with honey or some baked goods and some juice or coffee for the adults and Fred and George.

Harry stood promptly got a hold of his dishes and planned on washing them by hand but he only managed walking them to the sink, before being interrupted.

"I'm glad you know, better than to cast any spells,and are house trained enough to clean up after yourself," Snape said. " But leave the dishes for now, we need to get going. We'll have to get your learners permit sorted out, but it probably won't happen until January." Snape cast a clean up charm on the cleared dishes and Harry began the process of dressing for winter, feeling quite sated and a lot more accepting to the turn of events than yesterday.

Last night they left their outer wear in the kitchen _it_ being the only room in the house besides the bed rooms deemed livable enough.

Snape didn't catch Harry's sheepish expression: the authorities in the area might have _not_ caught Harry's slip up last night in regards to the cleaning charm he cast on himself. At least that's what he hoped.

The actual living room was flat out boarded up. But there was a lot of noise coming from that part of the house; the house elves were already hard at work, it seemed.

Snape gave him a once over and winced. His coat was school issue and was definitely not appropriate for the Canadian winter. With out warning he cast a warming charm on the teenager, grabbed his hand and the duo apparated into the Township of Hope.

"Here we are, Harry. This is the township of Hope." Snape explained pointing to the cute wooden sign that defined it as that. They were on a block with only three or four mom and pop shops and an old fashioned gas station; all of it rather rural. In the distance Harry spotted a white tower with a cross, obviously some sort of church. "This is only about a half hour away from where we live by car. It's really the only community in the area." Harry looked a bit disappointingly at the rather unimpressive location.

"Now, you need to knock on the township sign three times and speak the password for entry, Harry," The man explained. Amused by the boy's dismay in regards to their current location.

 _Has this boy really learned nothing in regards to wizards and witches yet._ Snape wondered and he followed his own instructions.

"Birch wood Molasses cookies," Snape uttered and a door sized portal opened into an indoor shopping center.

They stepped through and Snape ended Harry's warming charm. "This is one of the first Magical shopping centers ever built." He told the boy who looked around and noticed some of the stranger shop names. Like **The** **Wizarding Electronics Center** [a shop currently non-existent in Europe] and right next to it **Frogo's Wand Improvements a** nd so on and so on. There were at least three floors of stores, a modern day food court obviously run by witches and wizards, and there were even shops rather similar to what you'd find in a muggle shopping center, such as a c.d store exclusively catering to music and entertainment and it was literally called **The** **Witch and Wizard's HMV** [this was borderline plagiarism you'd think but for the fact that it was owned by the same company as the muggle outlet stores].

Harry walked along with Severus in awe, this place made Diagon alley look small and rural in comparison. Diagon Alley wasn't either of those things, not at all. Besides the stores there were also vendors without shops but stands in the hall. Places that sold purses with magickal compartments. Popcorn and smoothie stands and so on.

There were no stairs but glass boxes that were more or less magicked to work like elevators but they had no cables and seemed to float any which direction one needed to go. "Al's Hair and Body Charm shop please," Snape said and they were off in a clear glass box up two floors and about a hundred yards to the left the box opened and they were let off right by the entrance.

Inside the store everyone was subjected to the musical styling of a metal band. And many people seemed to be happily browsing most of them already sporting hair or skin charms and dressed in the punk, head banger or even[unsurprisingly for witches and wizards] a Gothic style.

The shop seemed to be divided into three parts, when one first entered there was an array of clothing for men and women. Pants with chains, corset tops, mesh tops, shirts with various band logos and or just depicting Gothic imagery such as sculls. Some of the clothing was magically charmed to change color or sparkle. Some of what was available confused Harry, like the garments made of leather or rope. None of it was boring at least.

Than up the stairs was what what looked like a salon with a chair and mirrors and a single fitting room. Next to that station was the check out. Around that were shelves and shelves depicting how specified charms effected hair strands and other charms available for skin shade alteration and even tattooing. There was also a body piercing section but it was rather small.

Beyond that was a portion of the store hidden by a black curtain and there was a sign above that that read:

 **serious body mods-age restricted-approach with caution**

"Severus Snape." A man called clearly quite happy to see Harry's guardian. He was upstairs by the salon area; Al was ringing in costumers, so he turned away from the duo that was now swiftly approaching him.

Al was dressed in the gear he sold-sporting a mesh wife beater top and leather cuff-lings. He had army type boots on and a pair of pants that looked like it was hand sown from several different types of material. The two women happily walked off with their new purchases and Al stepped up to meet his old friend.

The two men shook hands and Severus explained." Harry this is Al an old family friend and a business associate of mine."

Al looked down at the teenager taking in the mo-hawk that had muggle hair dye in it and looked over at Snape questionably.

"We've stopped at a muggle hair-dresser recently for a trim." Snape explained. "And the bugger decided to get creative."

Snape paused and pondered the horrible burgundy color that simply _had_ to go. Al would get rid of it, but the real question was-in what manner. Alas this was the lesser of two evils. Restricting Harry too much would probably result in larger problems in the future. Severus wasn't sure if Harry was aware of it but the Burgundy he was wearing was the exact same as the Griffindor school color and it really never suited him. This made sense actually on a physiological level; Harry felt more at home at school than at his actual _home_ for years-before anyone was aware of how _really_ awful things were at home for him and were willing to step in.

Snape wondered if this was a subconscious decision on Harry's part or an act of rebellion in face of being more or less adopted by the head of the enemy house...he wasn't going to ask though.

The man also knew point blank that Harry belonged in Slytherine as did all the teachers: He more or less demanded a resorting for the boy in private upon learning the news.

If politics didn't get in the way...things would have gone much differently for Harry-his families actual wishes were not actualized as the British Ministry or Magic didn't want to lose the famous boy-who- lived.

But that was in the past.

"I thought it was best to get an expert involved." Snape added tartly.

Al chuckled; "Wise decision, on your part." He stated "Harry please take a seat," Al gestured to the salon chair and Harry after complying sat facing himself in his current state.

He wasn't overly fond of what he saw. Burgundy didn't suite his complexion at all and his mo-hawk was only about an inch higher than the rest of his hair. He looked like a punk wanna be at best.

Harry coming from England was aware of the punk scene, especially being raised a muggle for the better half of his years-but he never was really in a position to experiment before with his own appearance.

Al fondled his dyed hair and shook his head at the boy in the chair.

"This muggle hair coloring is very damaging and when it comes to fashion, Harry it's rather important to remember yer a wizard, so today I'll be fixing this pro bono,"

The man smirked and with a wave of a wand Harry's hair was completely back to dirty blond.

"It's obvious the hair dresser who did this to you did it half heartily at best and left you with emo-kid hair. If you want a hawk you'll have to shave the sides of your head properly and I can happily add a few inches on top for you." He explained.

"As for color; I have plenty of charms and charmed shampoos to choose from. But the idea is to add funk not use colors best suited to middle aged women who want to look youthful."

Harry turned a bit red at the scolding.

"Here, browse through this, and look at the different hair samples, when you have something in mind, we'll discuss the options."

He thrust a book full of hair models his way and turned to Snape.

"Now, Are you back in business or what!" The man exclaimed.

Making Severus Snape winch at the accusatory tone directed at him.

" I've run out of a certain pigmentation potion that only you seem to be able to make expertly and I've got regulars checking in to see if your back, _some_ on a weekly basis. There are certain shades they cannot create with what I'm selling at this time." Al stated.

Snape nodded in understanding. "I won't be fully operational until January, but I'm back for good this time."

Al smiled at his long time friend and they chatted about business and what not until Harry was ready.

Harry opted for an interesting combination of neon green and purple on his much longer mo-hawk. The purple kind of crept out from under the green in a subtle way.

Harry really also wanted a piercing to go with his new look but considering that he was given this do over for free he refrained from asking; not wanting to be too greedy and take advantage of Al.

Harry appreciated Al's business like demeanor. Although the man did study his scar he didn't mention it at all, which was a relief. In England he knew that if he went to a similar place his still being alive would have rudely been discussed at length.

Snape of course, watched Harry explore the store and noticed his fascination with some of the items in the piercing cabinet.

"Ye want a piercing too, don't you? He asked gruffly.

Harry nodded soberly.

Severus only made this offer after studying Harry as he studied the Snake bracelet he had on while Al was working away on his hair.

The boy was clearly still not happy about it. Neither man nor teenager breached the topic of the fight they've gone through to escape into this country as of yet.

The older wizard knew that eventually that would have to be discussed and probably at length, as would many things.

"Fine, pick something and consider it a Christmas gift from me to you."

And Harry did.

Both the hair colors and were charms. No mess but the effect looked real enough when the charms were worn. The piercing on the other hand was real and Harry got an ear cleaner he would use regularly to care for it.

They left the shop eventually. Both rather happy with the results of Al's craft.

Harry because his new funky look was totally his decision and Snape because although he felt Harry's choice was a bit ridiculous, the boy was officially distracted from the more sobering topics on Severus' mind that would soon be discussed at length.

They went to another three shops.

Harry's eyes briefly wandered towards the pet shop at which point he was reminded at having to leave behind his first ever Christmas gift with Ron-Hedwig.

They stopped at the food court to grab a snack.

The last stop was a grocery store at which point Snape explained that his cousins who helped him with the house and the locating of the house elves would be popping by that evening so he needed to have a bit of a late night feast prepared.

His _cousins_ who wanted to meet them at the airport upon arrival. And after he refused also at the house the night they arrived. It actually took a lot of convincing on his part to keep Rose Evans away from her twin sister's son until Christmas Eve.

For now Severus Snape kept silent about the shock Harry would be in for tonight.

This was discussed at length by the adults last summer. Rose demanded to be the one to explain things to Harry.

Harry didn't actually know this but even without his muggle relatives abusiveness he would have had his life interrupted and would have had no choice but to leave Britain behind. The other half of Harry's family got involved the minute they got wind of Voldemort's return.

Just like Sirius Black would probably be showing up at their door-or would if he would ever be able to locate them.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Harry Potter sat on the dark wood floor in what now was his new living room. He presumed Snape picked the furniture out as it looked less country house and more Gothic inspired albeit still modern. He was going through the boxes before him looking through the Christmas tree ornaments.

The wall and door that separated the kitchen from the living room and staircase was gone leaving the first floor all open concept accept for the powder room which was on the wall parallel to the kitchen. And parallel to the stair case going upstairs was a door way leading downstairs which was currently boarded up. It was nice but if Harry turned around he could catch glimpses of what Severus was doing in the kitchen and vise versa even though there was a double sided shelf to create a a separation in the space...on the shelve where living plants and it wasn't hard to see past them.. Harry wasn't doing anything wrong but the change unnerved him for two reasons. The first was that, he was starting to feel stifled having absolutely no time to himself all day to really just deal with his life changing completely and his emotional state. The second was he was currently crying and Snape could walk in and catch him at any time.

When they got home after their shopping trip. Harry having ample time to consider what Snape's cousins coming over for Christmas dinner could mean decided to offer to make himself scarce. At which point Severus blew up.

The man's fists clenched and his face turned red. And he started to scream profanities. Not actually directly or directed at Harry but looking upward. Harry began to slither toward the stair case hoping to leave Severus to his tantrum but before he got through the makeshift doorway he was pulled back into the kitchen and thrown into a much fancier chair than what was there before they left that day.

Severus Snape crouched down as to appear as nonthreatening as possible to contrast his actions moments earlier. He looked up into Harry's face which really spoke of terror-terror that really had no place here although, Snape was really just kidding himself-a man his size just screaming into thin air would actually make many people rather weary.

Dumbledore made it rather clear that Harry's home life was a lot worse than it seemed to them at first and some things would have to be handled delicately for quite some time. The man couldn't share specifics from Harry's closed case questioning/trial. This didn't really leave, the ill prepared man who played spy and occasionally much worse parts in a demented political war, to work with when it came to home life with an adopted teen.

"I did not mean to scare you." Severus voiced supporting himself by placing his arms along Harry's lap leaving them in an awkward position that made it clear that although Severus was making himself look as intimidating as possible Harry wouldn't be getting up until Severus decided, of course that was what Harry got out of Snape's positioning and not at all what the potions master was going for.

 _At least the bruised eye was healed_ , Snape thought to himself, grimly.

" I don't know what on earth gave you the impression that you get to miss your own Christmas dinner,it's more or less being thrown for you, Harry. I would really like you to explain to me, why you think going into hiding during such a festivity would be appropriate."

Harry looked down at the man that was holding him prisoner in a kitchen chair and pursed his lips. The boy brushed off his own rather despairing train of thought and flat out told Snape to get off him.

The older man complied and sat himself in a chair beside him.

The silence after that was awkward, Harry didn't know how to end this conversation and that's really all he wanted to do. But Snape was there clearly waiting on him. Adding tension to the room with his still rather angry energy.

"I just thought you might not actually want me here, that's all." Harry finally exclaimed. "I think you over reacted, by the way."

His voice too high pitched and way to innocent sounding to the older man's ears to be completely truthful.

Dead silence.

Tell tail signs of nerves filled the room.

The idea of having a family Christmas with the Snapes didn't _just_ sound odd to Harry.

Harry was beginning to feel physically sick to his stomach from stress.

Severus was getting a migraine. Instead of apologizing to Harry for filling his day with mindless distractions and staying aloof he reverted to his Professor Snape persona and gave him orders to go upstairs, shower and change into more formal clothing.

"And for Merlin's sake take that hair charm off at least for tonight."

Taking his dismissal in stride Harry bolted up the stairs not even noticing that his room was in a much cleaner state than the way he had left things.

Upon returning down stairs he got shoved into the living room and asked to decorate.

Now sitting on the floor Harry's internal voice was whining at him.

He's never done this before, Dressing a Christmas tree was what families did together.

The only Christmas he spent with his family or rather Vernon was one of the worst days of his life,as when the rest of the family left to visit aunt Petunia's family he decided to stay with the freak, as someone had to make sure the house didn't burst into flames.

Most other times during any festivity he was locked in the cupboard under the stairs. Were it was dark and he was alone and he cried as he heard laughter and sometimes even children playing. And afterwards if he was quiet enough he didn't get a belting before Vernon went to bed. Usually he wasn't quiet enough.

Was he Harry supposed to open his chest up and just let Severus Snape eat his heart up. Did the man really expect him to explain in detail what he was used to at his old home and why he offered to not be present at Severus's family feast.

He never asked for this. He didn't know how to act in the home that he supposedly lived in with just one other person that was supposedly, supposed to be a what? Replacement father figure. Snape was in some ways way too much like Vernon for Harry to just accept it.

For instance his short temper. And his inability to accept Harry.

When the teenager came back down stairs as ordered Snape asked him again why he offered not to be present, to which Harry just shrugged and said, "I already told you."

Harry didn't hear Severus shuffle into the living room where he left the boy with a tree to decorate. He didn't notice him sitting beside him until some time passed and he was being pulled into a hug.

His first reaction was to pull away or at least try to get away but instead he found himself being held closer until he completely lost it was was sobbing in Severus Snape's arms.

Harry had no idea how long he stayed like that but eventually he stopped crying completely and pulled away from the man. Still practically sitting in his lap he tried to get up to build more distance between them to find that Snape had other ideas.

"I'm really, really sorry Harry. For being so aloof with you and...and for everything that's happened to you. At Hogwarts I promised you a measure of stability that I don't think I'll be able to provide for quite some time. And maybe not ever if we don't start talking about things." Snape paused in his apology speech and gave Harry a bit of a squeeze making the boy go limp in his arms from discomfort.

"My cousins won't be coming today as something has happened and Rose needs to help her ex-husband, Arty with it. It's in regards to the evacuees. Not the ones going through Belgium, Harry. we, as in you and I actually saved those five families. But another group. They are apparently stuck in some pretty dangerous territory and Rose is gonna have to negotiate there release from some magickal creatures-"

Harry interrupted, not liking the embrace he was in, and much preferring to face the somewhat more reasonable sounding Severus while he spoke _at_ him.

Usually they didn't converse definitely not ever in school. This might be the first time he may be spoken to and not at by the man, and Harry didn't want to miss it because he couldn't breath while being forced so close to him. During his melt down the teenager might have found being cuddled quite comforting but in his right mind-his more than paranoid mind-he didn't want such proximity.

He pulled away and got out of the man's lap and turned to sit parallel to him eyeing the older man expectantly.

Severus didn't stop him but he really didn't want to let go[his hesitation could have been easily mistranslated by anyone]. The man's reason were not devious , other than feeling the boy's warm body next to him even, well especially when he was crying made Harry more real to Severus. Made the severity of Harry's past-the past Dumbledore refused to talk about to Severus something on the forefront of his mind-Although the conversation he was trying to have with Harry right now was about him and the reasons Harry found himself here and not somewhere else would probably smooth some things out between them.

The man simply didn't know how to even continue the other conversion that they needed to have about Harry's home life up til now and make it into an actual conversation instead of a demand for dis-closer at this point. This second conversation was going to be necessary and soon.

Soon, really meant tonight along with all the other stuff he had to through at the boy.

Obviously from Harry's initial outburst which Severus considered mostly a respite for it being him to take Harry in and not Lupin or someone more likable left little to the imagination at this point but the boy needed to confirm those suspicions.

And it was rather suspect if Harry wouldn't simply avoid giving answers in this setting or simply lie when approached. After all, Harry didn't have much of a reason to have any trust or love for the man who stole his life from him[in this case Snape was guilty].

 _Who got this weepy over a Christmas feast, and having to put together a festive tree, anyway._

Of course, the weeping was probably more of a result of Snape's temper[which reminded Harry of someone or something else]. The temper the older man was having trouble leaving at the door.

This was really only day one together at their new home. The guilt Severus was feeling at making a promise to keep the boy in the dark-and also choosing to prolong that by not allowing Rose to meet them right away as she wanted was immense.

Severus look up at Harry who was waiting on him as he put his thoughts together.

With out a thought he reached out to touch the boy's face. Harry scrambled to get up and the older man grabbed his foot.

Harry started screaming profanities and kicking even after he was let go.

"Stop it!" Snape yelled making the boy settle down, albeit not within arms reach any longer. "Your lip is bleeding, boy."

Harry paused and reminded Severus of a deer frozen in a street by head lights. Not a very pleasant expression to see on a kid.

"Sit on the couch and stay there. I promise I won't touch you. But we really need to talk about some things." Snape made it sound almost like a request or a question.

 _Fine._ Harry sighed.

He sat in the arm chair shaking from head to toe so profusely it was evident from across the room.

"I'm just going to get something for your, lip. I'll be back." Snape stated dis heartened by Harry's evidently shabby mental state, and threw the teen a blanket for comfort.

 _What on earth could this boy be thinking?_ Severus wondered alarmed by his ward's reaction to what most would consider nonthreatening and perhaps even affectionate behavior.

Remembering Dumbledore's words about approaching Harry about certain matters delicately the man scoffed.

 _More like with an army of psychologists._

The man returned promptly with a cold compress to prevent the lip Harry bit from swelling up. He also brought a bottle of brown liquid and two glasses [Severus's only form of therapy].

Cognac.

He handed the compress to Harry stating. "Here that's for your broken lip." Harry took it. A look of shameful guilt crossed his face as he looked up at the man who didn't complain once that he wasn't on the couch he was sent to sit on.

" I'm sorry..." Harry starting to exclaim nervously listing off all the things he was scared would get him in trouble. Mainly for overreacting at being touched, not being able to put the tree together and being overall stupid and freakishly not knowing how to act around Severus at this point, or do exactly as told.

The armchair seemed safer. It only seated one, but it obviously wouldn't serve as a defense forever.

Harry was still under the impression that he'd have to pay for everything somehow and that brunch was a bribe...

Severus poured out two rather large drinks and pushed Harry's cup toward him along the coffee table, filling the now silent room as Harry had clammed up as abruptly as he started, really rather embarrassed that he bothered.

No one usually cared what he wanted after all hence his presence here and the stupid bracelet that meant he'd probably have to cut his hand off to leave of his own accord.

"Here, drink up. I think you've earned it."

 _Here, that's for your shakes, and obviously broken soul._

Snape mocked his own actions silently as he drank his glass in one shot and poured himself another than a third that he drank much more slowly, leaving Harry to nurse his solitary drink in silence before he started in on him.

Before he began his torturous explanations that were rather _over due_ he put all the Christmas decorations up via wand-less magic and snapped his fingers so the feast he's been working on didn't go to waste and so Harry didn't wind up too sloshed from the alcohol Snape not so happily shared with the minor.

Eventually Harry's shakes abated.

 _The cousins would have left overs and it served them right._ Snape wasn't just referring to the meal before them.

"I'm sorry too, Harry. But mainly I think I feel bad for you thinking you owe anyone an apology at this point. Especially me."

Severus spoke for what felt like hours to him between sips and bites of food.

Harry now knew they were actually related and in what manor being cousin's with his mum made Severus Snape his Great Uncle. He now knew about Severus's promise to his cousin Rose Evans who was both Petunia's and Lily's sister by blood.

Petunia Evans was simply put a cast away squib.

He also now was aware of the political play that prevented him from living with a proper magical family specifically _his_ and why he was left in an abusive family situation for years, more or less by Dumbledore.

Harry more or less was a Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy did want him. Harry's life if he ever got to live with his real father probably would have been way worse. Or he would have been extremely brainwashed.

His parents wishes in his regard were never carried out as he was meant to be taken in by Severus Snape and Sirius Black which were a married couple.

Severus Snape wasn't just Harry's Great uncle he was his god father just like Sirius Black.

Mr. Potter who adopted Harry shortly after birth appointed Sirius Black and Harry's Mother appointed Severus Snape. Harry was actually the only reason Severus Snape stayed in Europe and took a teaching position which really suited him poorly. The man never expected his spouse to escape prison, but now that he has there was a chance he'd be able to find his way here and that was what Severus really wanted.

"In short Harry, the two wizards I've taken it upon myself to keep you away from at all costs are Voldemort and his second in command Lucius Malfoy...I know your fifteen...and mature enough but I really don't want to explain how Lucius Malfoy is your father even though he was with Narcissa Black publicly and Voldemort himself in private. It's something that your aunt might be able to talk about with you...But I just won't. "

He finally finished and poured himself the last of his cognac.

"I'll answer what ever questions I can from this point on. But please keep in mind I'm a bitter old man so the price of that is I'd like some straight answers from you as well...And Harry I've no idea about what your home life was like-that was a closed door trial no one present case speak about it or access the records."

Harry listened to everything Snape had to say rather carefully and weighed his options, as they ate dinner.

The whole Malfoy thing left him confused. How on earth was something like that possible if Lily was James's fiance since before leaving Hogwarts?

Harry's first and only question he asked that night was in regards to him killing the five death-eaters.

His _father_ included in the number of dead now.

"Yes Harry, It's actually already in the papers back home that you saved five families and took it upon yourself to get rid of five dark wizards. Eventually there will be a trial or a questioning in regards to this but considering that you were hit with the death curse firstly and everyone involved witnessed this. You won't be held accountable as you may feel you should be. You didn't ask to be attacked."

It was long past two in the morning before Harry went upstairs and past out. And it wasn't until late afternoon that he'd wake up on December 25th to the sounds of people downstairs. Than the sounds of multiple foot steps running up the old stair case and Ron and Hermoine would bust into his bed room both yelling "Merry Christmas!"

"Harry, Harry-your never gonna believe it. Bleeping Malfoy he's down stairs!" Ron was bouncing up and down next to a much more timid looking and cautious Hermoine Granger.

Harry sat up slowly. Hung over for the first time in his life.

"Can you guys close the door," He grumbled. "It's good to see you but your all so, so bleeping loud."

Harry's best friend Hermoine wrinkled her nose and asked still seeming overly cautious: "Have you been drinking?"

While Ron closed the door and plopped onto his friend's bed.

Since Harry took some precious time to rub his aching temple and try and put his thoughts in order. Hermoine got impatient and started tapping her foot hands on her hips.

"Well?"

She questioned from across the room.

"Aye, Snape poured out some cognac yesterday to bleeping explain everything to me. He literally wasted an entire two days by filling them with distractions instead of just letting me in on what's actually going on" Harry started his explanation.

Clearing his throat and taking in his friends presence he realized that although his head ached this was the best Christmas gift he could have received: his friends, an actual family and somewhere safe to be.

"Apparently my mum had two sisters not one. My mom's actually got a twin that's alive named Rose. And-and apparently Malfoy is my half-brother. His father whom I've killed is actually our father-"

Harry stopped and interrupted himself: "Shit,shit, shit, Draco's probably here to kill me!"

He screamed in a panic all the sudden.

"No, Harry I doubt that," Hermoine said.

"Yeah it's more likely that the fucker wants to live with you," Ron added. Only to receive a venomous glare from Hermoine who walked over and plopped on the bed.

"Yeah um Malfoy has been working with the order of the Phoenix which we got introduced to us like under twenty-four hours ago for like two years now. The Order is all about bringing dark wizards aligned with Voldemort down." Hermoine explained. "And I think we met your aunt last night. We all got refugee status here in Canada thanks to her and Arty Muse. They're both downstairs waiting for us with Malfoy and Dumbledore."

" 'arry you should shower and brush your teeth fast. If mum gets wind of you being allowed to drink she'll flip even more than she has been flipping. I think she wanted to adopt you herself and no one's explained why your with Snape to her or anyone as of yet. I think Dumbledore is leaving that one for you and him."

Hermoine nodded in agreement to what Ron was saying.

"Yeah, they did these evacuations for us kids." Hermoine started. "As much as Voldemort wants your head and enjoys haunting a school-I think the grown-ups decided that we're to young to actually have to fight a war. Molly spent half the trip telling us we are not child soldiers and although in the past it may have been deemed okay to risk babes...well what phrase did she use while talking to Draco...yep she said 'Over my dead body', like fifteen times last night."

Ron started laughing.

"Yeah mum jibber jabbers when she's nervous. We got stuck in the marsh lands surrounded by centaurs that wanted to enslave us." He explained to Harry what made Molly say so much about the reasoning behind the Order's decision to have anyone with relation to Hogwarts or muggles evacuate from Europe.

"Somehow your aunt managed to negotiate safe passage for us." Hermoine said with a dreamy look.

"Okay, okay so we're now more or less up to date on what's going on, I better take that shower you've suggested now. It would be a shame if Snape met his demise at Molly's hands." Harry stated flatly. "You guys can tell the people down stairs I'll be down shortly."

His friends nodded and left just as quickly as the came and just as loudly.


End file.
